Automatic air-brake coupling.



y l Y PATENTBD MAR. 20,1906."

A `V. STMEGBK. I n

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE. GOUPLING. 1 v n v PPLIOATIN FILED JUNE 14, 1905.' v

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., ter so" that ,when vthey are brought together r NITED STWTENTOFHCE* l' i' i' vAcLAv sinner-3K, oF FLAPONIA, TEXAS- AiiTOMATlC Ain-BRAKE Jcz'ou'PLlNe.`

`To all whom t mayconcern.D

Be it known that I, YAcLAv Stimmen, a

rovements in Automatic Air-Brake Coupersof which the following is a spe'ciii 3ation.v

kTheinventionrelatesgenerallytoimprovements in coupling devices for connecting the air-brake hose of railway-cars, and particula-rly to a coupling adapted' for automatic connection with'its fellow coupling inthe, au-

tomatic coupling of the cars.

The main object ofthe present invention is theprOduCfiOn of;c`ouplings of this charac-y in the' coupling'of the cars they will become lautomatically and firmly connected' to )rovide for uninterrupted communication o the .zo

air-'pressure between adjoining cars, the

lxmounting ofthe couplings being such as to adaptthem for the vertical or lateral movement incidental to the movement of the cars 'l proved couplings just prior to their autoy maticconnection. Fig. 3 is a sin-nlarview i showing the couplings in connected relation.

without danger of disconnection.

construction of my invention will be lde'- scribed in the following specification, with .The preferred embodiment of the detail particularl reference to theaecompanying drawings, in three sheets, in which- Figure'l is a partial eleva-tion of two con 'nect'ed cars, illustrating the application thereto of my improved couplings.

Fig. 2 is an enlarge( side elevation.illustrating my 1m- Fig. 4 is a top plan of thecouplings in conlnected relation. Fi'g. 5 is an enlargedfvertical section through one of the couplings. Fig. 6' is an' enlarged horizontal section throuvhone of the couplings, partially brokenl off.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective ofv the ling-head. v f eferring to thedrawings', 1 l represents 'two cars connected to the usual or referred car-couplings' 2,' it being understoo thatso far as the detail of my invention is' concerned v the car-couplings maybe of any preferred or standard construction .desired. T-he coup-- ling forming the subject-matter of the present 'invention'is secured 'on the end of each carfandas these' couplings are duplicates in structure and' operation a detail 'description 'of one will suflcefor all.` The coupling com- Specification of Letters` Patent. Application filed June 14, 1905; Serial-No. 2654-2931V the opening 7 int through, as hereinafterdescribed- Later-1 packing-disk 14, Whi e the latter is positioned near the opposite end of the same. -Each of4 "'rearwardto its oplerativeposition, as'hereine port 17' is Within the cyl.

Patented MarchO,

prises a cylinder 3, supported in hangers 4 depending from the car-coupling draw-bar 5 and 1n' open communica-tion with theusual train-pipe or service-cylinderato aport or The forward end ofthe cylinder 3 is formed-with a central opening 7 and with opening 6.

aconeentric barrel extension 9 represents what I term a piston-stem arranged for longitudinal movenient in the barrel or sleeve 8, the forward end ofthe stembeing ofa size to snugly fit within said sleeve, while the rear end is reduced, as at 10,

and of a size to fit within the opening 7 inthe The rear end of the head of the cylinder 4. stem is provided with a threaded extension 11 to receive a metallic disk 12,- a nut13 serving to secure lthe latter'in lace on the extensionjll. A rubber or ot ier packing disk 14 ,is mounted on the extension 11 for-v ward of the disk 12 andis adapted in thenori mal position of the stem to completely seal tlie `opening 7 in thec'ylinde'r-hea A spiral spring 15 en'circles the reduced portionV 10 of t i estem within the sleeve 8, one end of the spri'ng'bearing against thecylinder-head,`

while theother end bears against the/shoulder formed by the reduced portion '10 of the sition the packin -disk 14 is seated against, e cylinder-head, as shown inFig. 5.

The'stem tion of its length, bein formedl with a longitudinal channel 16 fort e passage. of air there- 9 is hollow for the-greaterporally-arranged-ports 17 and 18 are formed at y the res ective ends of the stem, the former` bein y, ocated imm diately-contiguous the these ports is in direct communication with vthe channell' of the stem and are'so arafter described t inder 3 to establish communication bet-Ween` the air-channell of the stem and `the interior of said cylinder.' lThe forward endf of the stem is provided' With a transverse plate 19;, l'

f 4proj ecting abovaand' below'the i lower ends "with forwardly-project-i ng flanges.

stem and'being provided at 4the upper and l or lips 2'0.

'guide-plate ,26, flared or outwardly turned at.

r 21 represents the coupling-head, comprisin abaselate 22 centrallv )rovided with a rearwardly-,projecting lug 23. The head isV its forward or free end, as at 27, to facilitate connection 'of the 'contiguous coupling-heads,

t-beingunderstood that the fello.,wcoupling is provided with a similar guide-plate, but on the reverse or opposite edge of the base-plate. The upper and lower edges of the base-plate are .provided with forwardly-projectiiig finer's 28, flared or outwardly bent at their ee'ends to facilitate engagement with the fellow coupling. Intermediate the fingers 28 and the guide-plate 26 the upperrand `lower edges of the base-plate are formed with recesses or notches 29 of a size and shape to receive the fingers 28 of the fellow coupling, 'it being understood that the fellow coupling isalso provided with the notches 29 a.ncl'fiiigers 28, but locatedl reversely to the coupling- 'head described, so that when the heads are incoupled relationfthe fingers of one will en-V gage the notches of the ot'lier and the' guidelate of one will engage' the free edge of the liase-plate of t-he other. A rubber gasket '30 is supported in contact with the base-plate of the head on the front side of the latter. The

` gasket is coextensive in dimension with the head and is held in place by the fingers 28 engaging notches 31 formed in the edges of the asket. The gasket is also formed with notcies 32 to aline with t-he notches 29 in th'ebase-plate. An air-channel 33 is formed in the head 21, terminating at one end in* the side of the lug 23, as at 3.4, the opposite end extending centrally through the base-plate and through the rubber gasket to register With a similar channel of the fellow couplinghead, whereby to provide a direct air-channel lwhen the coupling-heads are in connected relation. The lug 23 is of less vertical dimension than the distance between the lip 20 at the forward end of the stem, whereby. the coupling-head isadapted for independent vertical movement under the influence of the connected cars without exerting strain'upon' the stem. Owing to the vertical pivotal connection of theA heads they are adapted for independent lateral movement, as may be required in the irregular movement of the connected cars. Retaining-springs 35 are arranged on each side the head, being termin'ally connected to the plate 19 at the forward end of the stein and to the base-plate 22 cylinder.

y ticularly in Fig. 4.

29 of the opposing head.

vheads wil ofthehead, whereby to'normally maintain the head in alinement with the stems and i'eturn the head to this position after lateral y movements under the influence of the connected cars. The springs tend to avoid any .torsional strain on the head and effectively take up any mot-ion thereof which would result ina disconnection of the. coupled heads.

.A flexible connection, such as a rubber hose 'length as to permit the necessary movement of'tlie head when coupled withoutv destroying the communication. The strength and arrangement ofthe spring 15 are such as to normally maintain the coupling-head at the ex- .treme forward position, so that the packingdisk 14 bears snugly against the head of the In this position of the parts the coupling-head projects forward some distance beyond the car-coupler 2 of the particular car.

In operation, a coupler being secured on each car and the car moving toward each other for coupling in the usual manner, the

respective heads 21 of the opposing hoses couplers come into engagement to connect the air-brake line throughout the length of the frame. The respective heads are guided through the medium ofthe opposingly-situated guide-plates 26 to position the gaskets 30 of each head in contact, as illustrated par- In this movement the fingers 28 of one head will seat in the recesses As the couplingheads pro'ect beyond the car-couplers, said contact or engage prior to the coupling of the cars, and as said cars continue their movement toward each other for tractive coupling thesprings 15 will be com- ICO pressed, moving the stems 16 inward to permit the ports 17 at the reai` of said stems to communicate with said cylinders, whereby to.

establish communication throughout the service-line. of the train, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The rearward movement ofthe coupling-headscompressing the springs 15 maintains said heads under the tension ofthe springs While in coupled relation to prevent any accidental separation thereof. The heads are further held in connected relation by the guide-plates`26 and the fingers 2S of the respective-heads, as said elements tend to hold the heads connected against the independent' movement, as will be obvious.y The pressure of the springs 15 is exerted against the'head's, tending to a compression of the gaskets 30 of the heads between the respective base-plates 22, maintaining an air-tight junction betweenV the heads.

By the mounting or connection of the respective heads lwith the stems, 'as above described, theconne'cted heads'are enabled to `accommodate themselves to vertical or lat- -eral movement necessarily incident to the movement of the cars without liability of disconnection.

Having now describedmy invention, what I claim: as new, and-desire to secure by Letend of the stem and adapted for-independent.

ters Patent, ifs-v' A l, i

11. A hose-coupling comv rising a cylinder, a stem horizontally mova vle in the'cylinder,

and a coupling-head supported at the outer and lateral movement with relation thereto, said head having uide-flanges arranged in reverse relative'or er to and adapted to co- -operate with flanges on the fellow coupling- 2. A hose-coupling comprising a cylinder inopen communication with the train-line, a

stern movably connected with the cylinder,

said stem bein formed with an air-channel normally out o communication with the,cyl

inder,ia couplinghead supported by the steml 'wand adapted for independent and lateral .movement with relation thereto, said head when connected with its fellow couplin operating to move the stem inward to esta lish communication with'the cylinder. i 3. A- hose-coupling comprising a'cylinder in communication with the train-line, a stem movably connected with'the cilinder, and l formed with-a longitudinal air-c annel, said channel bein normally out of communicav tion with sai cylinder, a couplingjhead pro-v vcarried by the stems and adapted for independent and lateral movement, a guide-- plate projecting forwardly from one side edge of the' head, guiding-fingers projecting forwardly from the upper and lower edges of the head, said upper and lower edges beinl i formed with recesses, and a gasket secure to the head and engaging. said guide-fingers.

In testimony whereof I alix my signatur:J

.n1 presence of two Witnesses.

VACLAV SIMEOEK. n

Wltnesse's:

J. J. SHILLER,

W. E. RABB. 

